History of the Amana Communes :: essays papers

History of the Amana CommunesWith the new foundland of north America, Europeans saw a chance to apply theirhopes and dreams of a perfect Utopian society. They saw an oppertunity to raisecommunities of so called utopian societies that they could not create in their alreadyruled land of Europe. While there would be Utopian experiments is Europe -like theParis commune and the Fourierist Planxes, it would only be in America where theEuropean divines would apply their Utopian ideals with such effort.The socialism of these early communities was the kind that Marx, rightly orwrongly, would brand as utopian, suggesting that it was idealistic and impractical. instead than seeking to create an ideal government or reform the world, the members ofthese communal groups withdrew form the sinful, corrupt world to work their miracles inmicrocosm, actually hoping to imitate the select state of affairs that existed among theApostles, who were said to hold all things in common.The most interesting point of these communal groups to me might be the overallbacking of their longing to create a community. It seems some of the communal groups,such as the Amana, were only created out of feelings of guilt and hope for redemption. From Oveds book, two hundred years of American Communes, he describes the Amanaas seeing their community as an island of redemption in a world awash with temptation,sin and avarice the Elect could come and perfect themselves, if they were watchful toheed the Lords call to chastity, poverty, simplicity, hard work, purity, and brotherly love.Although they sought redemption, the main driving force behind the Amana was that they sought ghostly freedom. Unhappy with their religious rights and flixability inGermany, the Amanas left ifn 1842, settling near Buffalo, New York. In 1855, thecommunity of True Inspiration, as they were called, moved west, forming their firstvillage along the Iowa River. The Amana set up their communities with a diligent effort. Ea ch village practiced their Utopian ideals and worked together as one large community.Perhaps the most impressive view of the Amana may be their unique contributionsto social reform. Many aided and abetted the abolitionists, womens rights, andobjections to war. Their history and communal methods were basically unchanged for 89years. The Amana is definitely one of the longest perdurable communal societies in theworld. In a sense you could actually say it was a bit of a success.The Amana had thier whole social class set up eliminating the need for conflict.